Gasoline safety can



Nov. 23, 1943. Q s PACKER 2,335,195

GASOLINE SAFETY CAN Filed Dec. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- Charla 1f Packer,

Nov. 23, 1943. c. s. PAcKER GASOLINE SAFETY CAN Filed Dec. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 23, 1943 GASOLINE SAFETY CAN Charles S. Packer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Justrite Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 9, 1940, Serial No. 369,191

1 Claim.

The invention relates to containers for liquids and has more particular reference to a gasoline container of the portable type having improved safety features eliminating the danger of fire or explosion of the gasoline.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a safety gasoline can in which the liquid can be transported or stored with the minimumof danger, which will have special capping means for closing the pouring spout and keeping the same closed unless positively opened by the attendant, and which will also embody an improved vent in connection with said spout to facilitate pouring.

In the container of the invention the spout is provided with a protective screen extending downwardly into the container through which the liquid may flow to the spout for pouring but which will eiiectively prevent a flame from contacting the gasoline within the can. In the event the gasoline within the spout should be ignited during pouring the fire would thus be confined within the cylindrical screen.

Another object is to provide a vent or by-pass for said discharge spout which will admit therequired amount of air within the container during pouring, thus releasing the gasoline in a uniform flow and preventing turbulence of the liquid within the spout during said operation.

With these and various objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts Figure 1 is an elevational view, parts being shown in section, of a container for gasoline or other volatile liquid having the improvements of the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an elevational View of the top portion of the container with parts being shown in section and with the cap member in open position for pouring;

Figure 3 is a modified arrangement of handle and operating means for the cap member;

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the container shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 is an elevational view from the rear of the handle showing the structure of the handle and the connection of the operating means thereto; and

Figure 6 is an elevationalview showing in detall the releasable link for connecting the handle with the cap member.

Referring to the drawings, the can or container l0 isof conventional construction having a pouring or discharge spout H and a reinforcing top plate l2. The spout is tubular, being suitably secured to the can ill to form an opening to the interior and supporting within the can acylindrical wire mesh screen l4 having a wire mesh bottom. The spout is'provided with a cap l5 having a hinge portion which is hinged at ll so that the cap may oscillate from a closed position, as shown in Figure 1, to an open position, as shown in Figure 2. The stud ll hinging the cap I5 is journalled in ears l8 formed in spaced relation on the solid portion 20 of the spout.

Since the present container is adapted for gasoline or other volatile liquids the cap is resiliently -maintained in closed position on the spout by a wire spring 2| which passes around the hinging stud l1 and then around the portion 22 on the cap, thereby exerting a pressure on the cap to hold the same closed. The bail or handle 23 for carrying the container and for opening the cap to permit pouring is pivoted at 24 to spaced ears '25 formed integral with the top plate l2. A wire spring 26, having connection with the pivot stud 24 and anchored at one end on the top plate and at its other end on the handle, functions to maintainthe handle in forward position toward the cap.

Movement of the handle is transmitted to the cap by a link 21, Figures 2 and 6, pivoted to the cap at 28 and having connection with the handle through the pin 30 passing through the slot 3| in the link. The handle is constructed as shown in Figure 5, with bifurcated lower extremities 32 within which the link is located. The pin 30 is held by both extremities and by passing through the slot the handle has limited free -movement which is not imparted to the cap.

Further movement beyond this limit is imparted to the cap as evident by referring to Figure 2, and accordingly, the spout is opened. The same may be held open as long as the handle is held in the down position by the operator. Release of the handle will return the same to upright position and some distance beyond, under tension of spring 26. The spring 2i returns the cap to closing position on the spout.

In accordance with the invention thelink 21 is provided with anopening 33 to the slot 3|, whereby the link is releasable with respect to handle 23. The pin 30 will be positivel retained within the slot 3i only after said pin has passed link 2'! is not lifted, as above described, the pin will pass out of the slot through opening 33, the action taking place naturally since opening33 has been located with respect to the arcuate path of movement of pin 30 for this purpose.

The invention therefore-provides a handle or ball which may be described as beingnormally released or at least releasable from the link 21 which provides the connecting means between the handle-and the cap-memben However, the link may be easily connected to the handle when it is desired'to open the cap member by merely lifting the rear end of the linkas initial movement in a rearward'clireotion isimpartedto th handle.

Thisstructure provides a safety measure since ,a positive act of. the operator is required. .to connect thecap member to the handle so that when the handle is moved rearwardly the cap member will be opened.

In the. modification asshownin Figure 3 the pouring spout ii is provided with a cap M5 pivoted at. i ll soas to have movement against the tension of the wire spring l2! from a closed position to an open position, as shown in dotted lines in said figure, to permit pouringof the contents of thecontainer. The modification resides in a change in the form of handle to facilitate actuation of the cap to cause opening of the same. The stationary part of the .handle i315 is in the form of a substantially rectangular frame, being suitably secured along the bottom side thereof to the reinforcing cap l E2; The movable portion of the handle I36 has locationwithin part 135 and is rigidly secured at iii? to the. link lZl, which link corresponds in all respects to the part 21 of the handle mechanism shown .inFigures l, 2, 4 and 5, the .said link having pivotal securement at I28 to ears H8 formed integral with the solid portion of the spout.

In operation of the handle as shown in Figure 3 the'hand of the operator is placed against part land the fingers of said hand are located forwardly to grasp part 136. Th said, movable part I36 may therefore be drawn rearwardly toward the operator by closing the hand, which movement of said part is transmitted to linkiZl, causing the pivoted cap ME to oscillate into an'open position against the tension of spring I25. When the operator releases his hand from portion I35 and H6 the cap will automatically close since the spring [2! yieldingly forces the cap into said closed position on the spout l l l.

The invention contemplates the provision of a vent or by-pass for the pouring spout which will admit the required amount of air within the container during the pouring operation. Said vent is applied to 'both forms of the invention and is shown in both Figures 1 and 3. The solid portion 20 of the pouring spout is provided-with a passage 58 extending diagonally downward toward the interior of the container and having connection at its lower end with a tube il. The tube 4| forms a continuation of passage fill-and Said.:.tllbe extends rearwardly within the container so that the enlarged rear end portion 32 of the same would be located adjacent the top of the container and approximately diagonally opposite the pouring spout l i. A screen 43 may be located over the opening of portion 42 and in this manner a fire preventive screen is provided, preventing flame which may exist in the pouring spout from travelling back through tube il and entering the interior of the container.

The passage 4% terminates within the pouring spout adjacent the upper end thereof and since the same is located in the rear wall the vent does not interfere with the pouring operation. On the other hand, during pouring of the gasoline or 'other liquid from the container the vent will operate to conduct air to within the container, thereby relieving the reduced pressure which would otherwise exist as a result of the pouring operation. The gasoline or other liquid will flow from the container in a uniform manner and all turbulenceof the liquid within the pouring spout is eliminated. a a

Itwill be observed'from the foregoing that the invention provides a safety gasoline can in that the spout is automatically closed by the cap member upon release of the handle and even during pouring whenthe spout isopen provision is made by means of the wire screen to prevent a flame from passing into the interior of the-can. The wire screen functions to permit flow of the liquid through the screen to the spout and prevents in a manner which is'well known the passage of a flame through the screen. Thus, even though the gasoline or other volatile liquid in this pouring spout should become ignited during pouring the flame will not be able to ignite the body of liquid within the container and furthermore said flame could easily be extinguished by closing'the cap member as this would shut off all access to the air.

The by-pass or vent conducts air from the spout to the interior of the container, preferably in the upper portion thereof diametrically opposite the spout, which portion of the container will be void of liquid in all cases by reason of the angle of the container during pouring; The admission'of air to the container will facilitate pouring since the flowwill be-uniform and all turbulence 'of the liquid will-be eliminated. The vent is operative during pouring since when the cap is closed the vent is shut-off from the atmosphere. As a further safety measure a, fire preventive'screen'may be fixed to the rear opening of the vent formed by the tube ii, which is in effect a continuation of the passage 40 in the discharge spout. 7

'The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction Of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by'the drawingsas Various other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in .the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the claim.

What is claimed is:

In a container having a discharge, spout, a closure. member pivotally associated therewith and having a closed and an open position with respect to the spout, a carrying handle for the container pivotally associated with the .top wall of the container substantiallycentrally thereof so as to have a forward and a rearward position when located toward and away from the spout respectively, a link connected at one end to the ,closure member and having a longitudinal slot in its other end portion, a pin on the handle adapted for location within said slot whereby to operatively connect the handle and closure memher, said link having an opening to the slot at the end adjacent the closure, said pin having movement in an are upon pivoting of the handle to and from its extreme forward position to cause the pin to alternately enter and leave said slot through the opening, whereby the link must be manipulated to operatively retain the pin within the slot upon initial movement of the handle from its said forward position, and said link having a flattened rear portion for facilitating said manipulation.

CHARLES S. PACKER. 

